Communication terminal apparatus and communication terminal apparatus control method

ABSTRACT

A communication terminal apparatus includes a communication section that controls communication to a destination and a browser that analyzes hypertexts, and displays an image in accordance with the analyzed hypertexts on a display, the image having at least an input field. Hardware keys are configured to input numbers and characters, and are selectively operable in a first mode to input a destination number to the communication section in order to communicate with the destination, and in a second mode to input data to the input field. A controller controls a status of the hardware keys in one of the first and second modes. The controller controls the hardware keys to input data to the browser when an input position is in the input field, and controls the hardware keys to input a destination number to the communication section when the input position is out of the input field.

This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.09/300,517, filed on Apr. 28, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,459,423 thecontents of which are herein expressly incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to communication terminal apparatusequipped with a display and methods for controlling these communicationterminal apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art

Recently, in line with the widespread use of the Internet, clientshaving a WWW browser function access a WWW server and browse HTMLdocuments. These clients include personal computers (hereinafterreferred to as “PC”) and personal digital assistants (hereinafterreferred to as “PDA”).

Some clients have a touch panel display rather than a keyboard. Clientsof this type are usually designed to use a soft keyboard to entercharacters in input fields of an HTML document displayed on a screen.The input modes of characters are switched by the soft keyboard betweenalphabet, number, hiragana, katakana, kanji, etc.

However, conventional communication terminal apparatuses requirecomplicated operations involving the need to start the soft keyboardevery time characters are entered in the input fields of the HTMLdocuments or the need to change input modes, etc. Moreover, once thesoft keyboard is started, the screen is occupied by the soft keyboard,reducing the visible space of the HTML documents.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an first objective of the present invention to provide acommunication terminal apparatus that will allow characters to beentered in the input fields of hypertexts only by simple operations.

It is an second objective of the present invention to provide a methodof controlling communication terminal that will allow characters to beentered in the input fields of hypertexts only by simple operations.

The above objective is achieved by a communication terminal apparatus,comprising display section for displaying information; hypertextbrowsing section for analyzing hypertexts and displaying a screenaccording to the analysis-results on said display section; pointingsection for pointing arbitrary positions on said screen; call sectionfor making a call over a line; hardware key section for entering callnumbers to said call section; and controlling section for controllingsaid hardware key section, wherein said controlling section switches,when the position pointed by said pointing section is within an inputfield of said hypertext, the output destination of said hardware keysection from said call section to said hypertext browsing sectionsallowing inputs from said hardware key section to said input field.

The above objective is achieved by a communication terminal apparatus,comprising: call section for making a call over a line; handset sectionfor inputting or outputting voice attached to the apparatus in adetachable manner; display section for displaying information attachedto the apparatus in such a way that the angle of elevation of the screencan be changed; hypertext browsing section for analyzing a hypertext anddisplaying a screen according to the analysis results on said displaysection; pointing section for pointing arbitrary positions on saidscreen; hardware key section for entering call numbers to said callsection; and controlling section for controlling said hardware keysection, wherein said controlling section switches, when the positionpointed by said pointing section is within an input field of saidscreen, the output destination of said hardware key from said callsection to said hypertext browsing section, allowing inputs from saidhardware key section to said input field.

The above objective is achieved by a communication terminal apparatus,comprising: call section for making a call over a line; display sectionfor displaying information attached to the apparatus in such a way thatthe angle of elevation of the screen can be changed; hardware keysection for entering call numbers to said call section; and displaycontrolling section, wherein said display controlling section displays,when the angle of elevation of said display section is changed and saidhardware key section is covered, a call number input screen for enteringcall numbers to said screen, and on the other hand displays, when saidhardware key section is not covered with said display section, an inputresult display screen for displaying said call numbers input on saidscreen by said hardware key section.

The above objective is achieved by a facsimile apparatus, which scansdocuments, obtains image data and transmits said image data according toa facsimile protocol, comprising: information displaying section;hypertext browsing section for analyzing a hypertext and displaying ascreen according to the analysis results on said display section;pointing section for pointing arbitrary positions on said screen; callsection for making a call over a line; and hardware key section forentering call numbers to said call section,

wherein said controlling section switches, when the position pointed bysaid pointing section is within an input field of said hypertext, theoutput destination of said hardware key section from said call sectionto said hypertext browsing section, allowing inputs from said hardwarekey section to said input field.

The above objective is achieved by a facsimile apparatus, which scansdocuments, obtains image data and transmits said image data according toa facsimile protocol, comprising: call section for making a call over aline; handset section for inputting or outputting voice attached to theapparatus in a detachable manner; display section for displayinginformation attached to the apparatus in such a way that the angle ofelevation of the screen can be changed; hypertext browsing section foranalyzing a hypertext and displaying a screen according to the analysisresults; pointing section for pointing arbitrary positions on saidscreen; hardware key section for entering call numbers to said callsection; and controlling section for controlling said hardware keysection, wherein said controlling section switches, when the positionpointed by said pointing section is within an input field of saidscreen, the output destination of said hardware key section from saidcall section to said hypertext browsing section, allowing inputs fromsaid hardware key section to said input field.

The above objective is achieved by a facsimile apparatus, which scansdocuments, obtains image data and transmits said image data according toa facsimile protocol, comprising: call section for making a call over aline; display section for displaying information attached to theapparatus in such a way that the angle of elevation of the screen can bechanged; hardware key section for entering call numbers to said callsection; display controlling section for displaying, when the angle ofelevation of said display section is changed and said hardware keysection is covered, a call number input screen for entering call numbersto said screen, and displaying, when said hardware key section is notcovered with said display section, an input result display screen fordisplaying said call numbers input on said screen by said hardware keysection.

The above objective is achieved by a communication terminal apparatus,comprising: a display for displaying information; a browser foranalyzing a hypertext and displaying the analysis results on saiddisplay; a pointing device for pointing arbitrary positions on saidscreen; a line control circuit for making a call over a line; hardwarekeys for entering call numbers to said line control circuit; and acontroller for controlling the output destination of inputs from saidhardware keys, wherein said controller switches, when the positionpointed by said pointer is within an input field of said hypertext, theoutput destination of said hardware keys from said line control circuitto said browser, allowing inputs from said hardware keys to said inputfield.

The above objective is achieved by a method of controlling hardware keysof a communication terminal apparatus comprising a display and linecontrol circuit, comprising the steps of: detecting a position pointedby the pointer on a screen displayed on the display using a browser; andswitching, when said detected position is within an input field of saidhypertext, the output destination of said hardware keys from said linecontrol circuit to said browser, allowing inputs from said hardware keysto said input field.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and features of the invention will appearmore fully hereinafter from a consideration of the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein one example isillustrated by way of example, in which;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a facsimile apparatus according toan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a hardware block diagram of the facsimile apparatus accordingto the embodiment above;

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the facsimile apparatusaccording to the embodiment above;

FIG. 4 is a setting table used for the facsimile apparatus according tothe embodiment above;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing steps of control when a contact hasbeen made on the touch panel in the facsimile apparatus according to theembodiment above;

FIG. 6A is a drawing showing an example of screen which includes inputfields of the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment above;

FIG. 6B is a drawing showing an example of screen which displays a softkeyboard according to the embodiment above;

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram showing steps of control when dial keys arepressed in the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment above;

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram showing steps of control by an input deviceaccording to the input mode of the dial keys in the facsimile apparatusaccording to the embodiment above;

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram showing steps of dial input processing in thefacsimile apparatus according to the embodiment above;

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram showing steps of dial input processing in thefacsimile apparatus according to the embodiment above;

FIG. 11A is a drawing showing transition status 1 of angle adjustment ofthe touch panel display of the facsimile apparatus according to theembodiment above;

FIG. 11B is a drawing showing transition status 2 of angle adjustment ofthe touch panel display of the facsimile apparatus according to theembodiment above;

FIG. 11C is a drawing showing transition status 3 of angle adjustment ofthe touch panel display of the facsimile apparatus according to theembodiment above;

FIG. 12A is a drawing showing an example of dial screen of the facsimileapparatus according to the embodiment above; and

FIG. 12B is a drawing showing an example of input result display screen.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference now to the attached drawings, a communication terminalapparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention isexplained in detail below.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a facsimile apparatus according to anembodiment of the present invention.

On the top panel of main body 2 of facsimile apparatus 1, a touch paneldisplay 3 is attached in a manner that it can freely be opened/closed.Touch panel display 3 is attached to main body 2 in a manner that theangle of elevation of screen 3 a can freely be changed. Morespecifically, touch panel display 3 is designed to be able to takeeither a first posture with screen 3 a facing upward or a second posturewith screen 3 a in an upright position. Touch panel display 3 can changeits angle of elevation continuously between the first posture and secondposture.

On the top panel of main body 2, a dial keys 4 and cursor keys 5 areprovided. Cursor keys 5 are a directional section to freely move thecursor and pointer displayed on screen 3 a in 4 directions. Dial keys 4and cursor keys 5 are covered with touch panel display 3 when it is laidon the top panel as described above.

On one side of main body 2, a handset 6 is provided. This example showsa case where a receiver with a cord is used as handset 6, but acord-less receiver can also be used. On the front of main body 2, ascanner paper feeding section 7 and a printer paper discharge section 8are provided.

FIG. 2 is a hardware block diagram of facsimile apparatus 1 according tothe embodiment above.

Touch panel display 3 consists of LCD display 3A and touch panel 3B.

CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11 executes desired processing accordingto a program.

ROM 12 is a read only memory which stores basic programs such as astartup program.

RAM (Random Access Memory) 13 is a main memory into which CPU 11 loadsand executes a program or data.

Flush memory (hereinafter referred to as “FROM”) is an erasable andrewritable non-volatile semiconductor memory. FROM 14 mainly storesapplication programs, executable programs and data such as HTMLdocuments.

Network control unit (hereinafter referred to as “NCU”) 15 controlstransmission/reception of a signal to/from Public Switched TelephoneNetwork (hereinafter referred to as “PSTN”) 16. NCU 15 processesoutgoing and incoming calls, etc. This NCU 15 is connected with handset6 and built-in speaker 17.

Communication control section 18 performs data communications andfacsimile communications via PSTN 16. This example shows a facsimilemodem, but a DSU or terminal adapter (TA) can also be used. Thefacsimile modem also performs digitization of voice signals together.

Voice processing section 19 encodes and compresses a digitized voicesignal or, inversely, decodes and decompresses a compressed voicesignal.

Touch panel display 3 consists of an LCD panel display as a displaysection and a touch panel as an input device. Therefore, touch paneldisplay 3 not only displays information but also accepts useroperations. More specifically, screen 3 a of touch panel display 3displays various kinds of information, input screens, operation menus,icons and buttons, etc. Touching screen 3 a with a pen or finger makesit possible to enter characters or pictures and select menus, etc.

Dial keys 4 are used not only for telephone dial operations but also forentering numbers, etc. in input fields displayed on touch panel display3.

External I/O 20 controls data communications with external devices suchas a PC, TA, barcode reader, and external modem. External I/O 20 is, forexample, a serial interface, a parallel interface, IEEE (Institute ofElectrical and Electronic Engineers) 1394 or USB (Universal Serial Bus).

PC card interface 21 controls data transmission/reception between a PCcard and the main body 2. For PC cards, a variety of cards such as flushmemory cards, modem cards, LAN cards and ISDN cards are available.

Scanner 22 scans documents. Printer 23 prints out various kinds of datasuch as images and text.

Bus 24 is a line that connects CPU 11 and other sections such as ROM 12and RAM 13.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing facsimile apparatus 1according to the embodiment above.

Coordinate position detection section 31 detects coordinates on thescreen of display 3A (hereinafter referred to as “pointing coordinates”)of the position on touch panel 3B that a pen or finger touches(hereinafter referred to as “focus”).

Facsimile apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment comprisesbrowser function section 32. This browser function section 32 hasfunctions compliant with the HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol)standard.

More specifically, HTML analysis section 33 analyzes HTML documents readfrom, for example, a WWW server on the network or internal HTMLdocuments read from FROM 14.

HTML display section 34 outputs display data according to the analysisresult from HTML analysis section 33.

Browser input device 35 receives inputs to the browser function such asURL inputs, link destination inputs, inputs to HTML document inputfields and performs processing according to these inputs.

HTML document requesting section 36 requests a WWW server to transfer anHTML document in response to an input to browser input device 35according to HTTP. HTML document requesting section 36 also readsinternal HTML documents stored in FROM 14.

The display data output from HTML display section 34 above are displayedby display control section 37 on LCD display 3A.

Determination section 38 receives pointing coordinates from coordinateposition detection section 31, and it also receives coordinates of aninput field (hereinafter referred to as “input field coordinates”) in aHTML document from HTML display section 34. Through this, determinationsection 38 determines whether or not pointing coordinates are within theinput field coordinates.

Soft keyboard 39 is an input device for entering symbols and numbers,hiragana, katakana, kanji, displayed on LCD display 3A.

Dial screen 40 is a screen containing the dial that is displayed on LCDdisplay 3A according to an internal HTML document and used to entertelephone numbers. Touching the dial section allows operationsequivalent to dial keys 4.

Input device control section 41 sends inputs from dial keys 4, softkeyboard 39 and dial screen 40 to browser input device 35 andcommunication control section 18 based on the determination bydetermination section 38.

Setting table 42 stores various setting contents of facsimile apparatus1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, flag F1 isset to ON when the focus is in an input field of the HTML document. FlagF2 is set to ON when soft keyboard 39 is requested to be displayed. FlagF3 is set to ON when dial keys 4 are also used for browser inputs.Moreover, flags F4 to F8 are set to ON according to the type of the softkeyboard input mode. Determination section 38 determines thetransmission destination of the input of the input device taking accountof flags in setting table 42.

Hookoff detection section 43 detects a hook off of handset 6 viacommunication control section 18 and informs it to determination section38.

Then the operation of facsimile apparatus 1 as shown above is explained.FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing steps of control when a touch isproduced on touch panel 3B of facsimile apparatus 1 according to theembodiment of the present invention.

In step (hereinafter referred to as “ST”) 501, determination section 38checks whether or not there is an input to touch panel 3B, that is,determination section 38 checks whether or not there is a contact by apen or finger.

If there is an input, in ST502 determination section 38 checks whetheror not the focus is in an input field of the HTML document. Morespecifically, determination section 38 checks whether or not the focusis in the input field on the screen specified by an INPUT tag of theHTML document.

If the focus is found in the input field in ST502, the “focus HTML inputfield” flag F1 of setting table 42 shown in FIG. 4 is set to ON inST503.

Then, in ST504, determination section 38 checks whether the “softkeyboard display” flag F2 in setting table 42 is ON or OFF. If it is ON,soft keyboard 39 is displayed on the screen in ST505.

FIG. 6A is a drawing showing an example of screen containing the inputdevice of facsimile apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of thepresent invention. FIG. 6B is a drawing showing an example of screen onwhich the soft keyboard is displayed. On screen 61, a plurality of inputfields 62 to 64 specified by INPUT tags in the HTML document aredisplayed. If the focus is in one of input fields 62 to 64, softkeyboard 65 is displayed as shown in FIG. 6B.

Here, inputs by soft keyboard 65 are explained using FIG. 6A and FIG.6B. The screen shown in FIG. 6A is a screen for ordering oranges, applesand grapes.

An ordering operation is completed by the operator entering the numbersof ordering items and then touching transmission button 66. Input fields62 to 64 next to the numbers of ordering items are described with INPUTtags. Touching these input fields 62 to 64 displays soft keyboard 65 asshown in FIG. 6B. For example, if the operator wants to enter “12”, theoperator needs to touch “1”, “2” and “End” on soft keyboard 65, in thatorder.

On the other hand, if the focus is not in the input field in ST502, the“focus HTML input field” flag F1 in setting table 42 is set to OFF inST506. Then, in ST507, determination section 38 determines whether ornot the focus is in the dial icon section of dial screen 40.

If the focus is on a dial icon in ST507, dial input processing isperformed in ST508. More specifically, each of the dial icon of dialscreen 40 corresponds, to a number or a symbol (★, #). Therefore, theoperator can enter data of the corresponding numbers or symbols in inputdevice control section 41 by touching any dial icon with a finger or apen. The input data are sent by input device control section 41 tocommunication control section 18 as telephone dial data.

Then, a case where dial keys 4 are pressed in facsimile apparatus 1according to the present embodiment is explained. FIG. 7 is a flowdiagram showing steps of control when dial keys 4 are pressed infacsimile apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the presentinvention.

In ST701, determination section 38 checks whether or not dial keys 4have been pressed. If dial keys 4 are pressed, in ST702, determinationsection 38 checks whether or not the “dial key/browser inputdual-function” flag F3 is ON in setting table 42.

If it is ON, it checks whether or not “Focus HTML input field” flag F1is ON in ST703. If it is ON, determination section 38 determines thatthe input data of dial keys 4 be subjected to browser input processing.More specifically, if one of dial keys 4 is pressed, the number orsymbol assigned to the relevant key is entered. These input data aresent by input device control section 41 to browser input device 35 ofbrowser function section 32.

On the other hand, in ST702, if the dial key/browser input dual-functionflag F3 is OFF, in ST705, determination section 38 determines that thedial keys be used for dial input processing. More specifically, if oneof dial keys 4 is pressed, the number or symbol assigned to the relevantkey is input to input device control section 41. The input data are sentto communication control section 18 by input device control section 41as telephone dial data.

In ST703, if the focus HTML input field flag F1 is OFF, in ST705,determination section 38 determines likewise that the dial keys be usedfor dial input processing.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, if the focus isin an input field of the HTML document, the input data from dial keys 4are sent to browser input device 35 of browser function section 32. Thisallows the dial keys 4 to be used also for browser input. That is, hardkeys used exclusively for entering call numbers can also be used forinputs to hypertexts, i.e. hypertexts, such as html documents.Therefore, the operability in entering data in the browser can improvefor operators who would feel it easier to enter data from dial keys 4than soft keyboard 39. This is because this embodiment can provide thosewho are unfamiliar with operations of the soft keyboard with operationswith the hard keys which are conventionally more familiar.

The use of dial keys 4 without soft keyboard 39 being displayed preventsthe screen of LCD display 3B from being occupied by soft keyboard 39,without reducing the display area. This prevents input fields of HTMLdocuments from being hidden.

The simultaneous use of dial keys 4 also for browser inputs and displayof soft keyboard 39 are determined according to the content of settingtable 42. Thus, dial keys 4 or soft keyboard 39 can be selected and usedaccording to the operator's preferences. The switching between the twois also automatically performed and the operator need not be aware ofit.

Then, in facsimile apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment,control of the input device according to the input mode of the dial keysis explained. FIG. 8 is a flow diagram showing steps of control of theinput device in facsimile apparatus 1 of the present embodimentaccording to the dial key input mode.

Facsimile apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment can enterhiragana, katakana and alphabetic characters using dial keys 4. It alsohas a function to convert hiragana and katakana characters entered tokanji characters. For example, kanji conversion is performed by pressingdown the “★” and “#” keys after entering hiragana characters, etc. Theinput modes of dial keys 4 are switched by assigning a mode changefunction to the “★” or “#” key, for example, and pressing them.

In ST801, determination section 38 checks based on the dial key/inputmode flags in setting table 42 whether or not the input mode of dialkeys 4 is numeric.

If the input mode is numeric, in ST802, determination section 38determines that the input data of dial keys 4 be subjected to browserinput processing. More specifically, when one of dial keys 4 is pressed,the number or symbol assigned to the relevant key is input to inputdevice control section 41. These input data are sent to browser inputdevice 35 of browser function section 32 by input device control section41.

On the other hand, in ST801, if the input mode of dial keys 4 is notnumeric, when one of dial keys 4 is pressed in ST803, the numberassigned to the relevant key is stored in RAM 13 as the 1st digit of acharacter code. In the same way, the numbers input from dial keys 4 arestored one by one. In ST804, it is checked whether or not numbers havebeen entered up to the number of digits of the character codes. Ifnumbers have been entered up to the number of digits of the prescribedcharacter codes, in ST805, the numbers stored in RAM 13 are handed overto browser input device 35 as character codes. The character codes areconverted to the corresponding characters by a conversion functionincorporated in input device control section 41.

As shown above, according to the present embodiment, dial keys 4 canenter not only numbers but also alphabetic characters, hiragana,katakana, and kanji.

Then, details of dial input processing are explained. FIG. 9 is a flowdiagram showing steps of dial input processing in facsimile apparatus 1according to the present embodiment.

In ST901, determination section 38 determines whether or not PSTN 16 isbeing used. If it is not used, in ST902, input device control section 41checks whether or not there are telephone dial data from dial keys 4.

In ST902, if data from dial keys 4 are not telephone dial data, inST903, determination section 38 checks whether or not there are dialicons of dial screen 40, that is, telephone dial data from touch panel3B.

In ST902 and ST903, if there is any entry of telephone dial data, inST904, determination section 38 instructs communication control section18 to send the telephone dial data to PSTN 16. Here, the telephone dialdata can be sent to PSTN 16 one by one or all telephone dial data can bestored temporarily in RAM 13 and then sent altogether to PSTN 16 whenhandset 6 is off-hooked.

On the other hand, in ST901, if PSTN 16 is in use and, in ST904, notelephone dial data from both touch panel 3B and dial keys 4 are sent,inputs from touch panel 3B and dial keys 4 are ignored and the telephonedial data disabled in ST905.

As shown above, the present embodiment allows dial inputs from bothtouch panel 3B and dial keys 4. Thus, if it is difficult for theoperator to see dial keys 4 or operate them due to a certain angle ofelevation of touch panel display 3, the operator can perform dial inputsfrom dial screen 40. Furthermore, telephone dial data are sent to PSTN16 only when PSTN 16 is not in use, which will prevent call processingfrom being mistakenly executed during a call.

Then, dial input processing is explained in detail. FIG. 10 is a flowdiagram showing steps of dial input processing in facsimile apparatus 1according to the present embodiment.

As shown above, if the operator browses a HTML document and moves thefocus to an input field of the HTML document, the input mode of dialkeys 4 is switched from dial input to browser input. Control of theinput device when handset 6 is detached in this state is performed asfollows.

First, in ST1001, determination section 38 checks whether or not handset6 is detached. This checking is performed by hook-off detection section43 detecting that NCU 15 has been connected to PSTN 16 due to detachmentof handset 6.

When handset 6 is detached, in ST1002, determination section 38instructs input device control section 41 to switch the transmissiondestination of the input data from browser input device 35 tocommunication control section 18.

In ST1003, determination section 38 checks whether or not dial input iscompleted. When dial input is completed, determination section 38 startsthe timer in ST1004. After confirming that a given time has elapsed inST1005, determination section 38, in ST1006, instructs input devicecontrol section 41 to return the transmission destination of the inputdata from dial keys 4 from communication control section 18 to browserinput device 35.

As shown above, according to the present invention, the outputdestination of the dial keys 4 can automatically return from thecommunication control section 18 to the browser input device 34.Therefore, the operator can perform dial inputs and browser inputs usingdial keys 4 without being aware of it at all.

Furthermore, when a given time has elapsed after the entry of a callnumber from dial keys 4 was completed, the output destination of dialkeys 4 is returned from communication control section 18 to HTML inputfield 35. Thus, after a communication is established, entries can bemade to the HTML documents again. The operator need not be aware of therestoring process, either.

The present invention allows dial keys 4 to be used also for browserinputs and for entering characters and symbols other than numbers.Therefore, it is preferable to indicate whether dial keys 4 are to beused also for browser inputs or exclusively for dial inputs, and displaythe input mode of dial keys 4 on the screen to allow the operator tograsp it at first sight.

More specifically, according to the results of checking performed bydetermination section 38 in ST702 of the flow diagram in FIG. 7, icons,etc. are displayed on the screen of LCD display 3A or separatelyprovided LED lamps are lit to indicate whether or not dial keys 4 areused also for browser inputs. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, at thetop right of touch panel display 3 is browser input LED 203 forindicating whether or not dial keys 4 are used also for browser inputs,next to power supply LED 201 and answering LED 202 for showing ON/OFF ofthe automatic message recording function.

Furthermore, in ST801 shown in FIG. 8, determination section 38determines the input mode of dial keys 4, checking whether it is numericor character code and based on this result it displays the input mode onLCD display 3A using icons or characters, etc.

Facsimile apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment can freelychange the angle of elevation of touch panel display 3 as shown above.Depending on the angle of elevation, dial keys 4 may be hidden behindtouch panel display 3, for example, when touch panel display 3 is laidwith its screen facing upward.

FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C are drawings showing transition of angle adjustmentof the touch panel display of facsimile apparatus 1 according to thepresent embodiment. As shown in FIG. 11A, touch panel display 3 isattached to main body 2 via hinge section 110. Hinge section 110 isconnected with touch panel display 3 at junction 110 a and with mainbody 2 at junction 110 b in a pivotable manner. Therefore, the operatorcan change touch panel display 3 from a first upright posture withscreen 3 a facing forward as shown in FIG. 11A to a position with screen3 a facing upward as shown in FIG. 11B by raising the bottom of touchpanel display 3. Then, the operator can change touch panel to display 3in a second posture with screen 3 a facing upward and covering main body2 as shown in FIG. 11C by pressing touch panel display 3 downward. Withthe second posture, dial keys 4 on main body 2 are hidden. In this case,dial screen 40 as shown in FIG. 12A is used. However, when dial keys 4are available, for example, when the screen is in an upright position,dial screen 40 does not require dial icon section 40 a. In such a case,as shown in FIG. 12B, the screen is switched to input result displayscreen 120 with no dial icon section, giving an enlarged view of theinput result of dial keys 4 to improve visibility.

Switching of screens may carried out when a sensor attached to hingesection 110 of touch panel display 3 detects that touch panel display 3has exceeded a given angle of elevation.

The present invention is not particularly limited to the aboveembodiment. For example, a facsimile apparatus was taken as an exampleto explain the above embodiment, but the present invention can alsoinclude telephones without a facsimile communication function, that is,telephones with an Internet communication function without a printer orscanner. Telephones here include all kinds of communication modes suchas portable telephones, PHS, and Internet telephones.

Moreover, a touch panel display was taken as an example to explain theabove embodiment, but the LCD display and touch panel can also beconfigured separately. Furthermore, an LCD display was taken as anexample of display section for the above embodiment, but the displaysection can also include a CRT display and others. Cursor keys weretaken as an example of pointing section for the above embodiment, butthe pointing section can also be made up of a track ball, mouse on thelike.

The present invention is not limited to the above described embodiments,and various variations and modifications may be possible withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention.

This application is based on the Japanese Patent Application No. HEI10-354897 filed on Dec. 14, 1998, entire content of which is expresslyincorporated by reference herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A communication terminal apparatus, comprising: acommunication section that controls communication with a destination; abrowser that analyzes hypertexts, and displays an image in accordancewith the analyzed hypertexts on a display, the image having at least aninput field; hardware keys that are configured to input numbers andcharacters, the hardware keys selectively operable in a first mode toinput a destination number to said communication section in order tocommunicate with the destination, and in a second mode to input data tothe input field; a detector that detects whether an input position ofthe hardware keys is in the input field; and a controller that controlsa status of said hardware keys in one of the first and second modes,said controller controlling said hardware keys to input data to saidbrowser in response to said detector detecting that an input position ofa hardware key is in the input field, and controlling said hardware keysto input a destination number to said communication section in responseto said detector detecting that the input position of a hardware key isout of the input field.
 2. The communication terminal apparatusaccording to claim 1, further comprising an input position controllerthat controls the input position of data, on said display by saidhardware keys.
 3. The communication terminal apparatus according toclaim 2, wherein said input position controller comprises a cursor key.4. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, furthercomprising an off-hook detector that detects whether said communicationsection is in an off-hook condition; wherein said controller, when saidhook-off detector detects that said communication section is in thehook-off condition and when said hardware keys are in the second mode,switches the input of said hardware keys, from the second mode to thefirst mode.
 5. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim1, said hardware keys comprising dial keys to perform the communicationto the destination.
 6. The communication terminal apparatus according toclaim 1, the communication apparatus comprising a portable telephone. 7.The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, thecommunication apparatus comprising an Internet telephone.
 8. Thecommunication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, the imageincluding a plurality of input fields.
 9. A communication terminalapparatus connected to a server, the communication terminal apparatuscomprising: a communication section that controls communication with adestination; a browser that analyzes hypertexts, and displays an imagein accordance with the analyzed hypertexts on a display, the imagehaving at least an input field; a hypertexts requestor that requests theserver to transmit hypertexts; hardware keys that are configured toinput numbers and characters, the hardware keys selectively operable ina first mode to input a destination number to said communication sectionin order to communicate with the destination, and in a second mode toinput data for the hypertexts requestor to request the server totransmit the hypertexts; a detector that detects whether an inputposition of the hardware keys is in the input field; and a controllerthat enables said hypertexts requestor to request the server to transmithypertexts in accordance with an input of said hardware keys in responseto a detection that an input position of said hardware keys is in theinput field, and enables said communication section to communicate witha destination in accordance with an input of said hardware keys inresponse to a detection that the input position of said hardware keys isout of the input field.
 10. A communication terminal apparatus,comprising: a communication section that controls communication with adestination; a browser that analyzes hypertexts, and displays an imagein accordance with the analyzed hypertexts on a display, the imagehaving at least an input field; hardware keys that are configured toinput numbers and characters; a detector that detects whether an inputposition of the hardware keys is in the input field; and a controllerthat outputs an input of said hardware keys, to said browser when thedetector detects that the input position of said hardware keys is in theinput field of the image in accordance with the analyzed hypertexts onthe display, and outputs the input of said hardware keys, to saidcommunication section when the detector detects that the input positionof said hardware keys is out of the input field of the image, inaccordance with the analyzed hypertexts on the display.
 11. Acommunication method for using a communication terminal apparatusprovided with hardware keys that input numbers and characters, thehardware keys selectively operable in a first mode to input adestination number in order to communicate with the destination, and ina second mode to input data to an input field of a displayed image, thecommunication method comprising: controlling communication with adestination; analyzing hypertexts, and displaying an image in accordancewith the analyzed hypertexts on a display, the image having at least aninput field; detecting whether an input position of the hardware keys isin the input field of the image; controlling the hardware keys to inputdata in the second mode when an input position is detected to be in theinput field of the image, and controlling the hardware keys to input adestination number in the first mode when the input position is detectedto be out of the input field of the image.
 12. A communication methodfor using a communication terminal apparatus provided with hardware keysthat input numbers and characters, the hardware keys selectivelyoperable in a first mode to input a destination number in order tocommunicate with the destination, and in a second mode to input data toan input field of a displayed image, the communication methodcomprising: controlling communication with a destination; analyzinghypertexts, and displaying an image in accordance with the analyzedhypertexts on a display, the image having at least an input field;requesting a server to transmit hypertexts; detecting whether an inputposition of the hardware keys is in the input field of the imageenabling the server to transmit hypertexts in accordance with input ofthe hardware keys when a detected input position of said hardware keysis in the input field, and enabling communication in accordance withinput of said hardware keys when the detected input position of saidhardware keys is out of the input field.
 13. A communication method forusing a communication terminal apparatus provided with hardware keysthat input numbers and characters, the communication method comprising:controlling communication with a destination; analyzing hypertexts, anddisplaying an image in accordance with the analyzed hypertexts on adisplay; and detecting whether an input position of the hardware keys isin an input field of the image; outputting an input of the hardwarekeys, to a browser for analyzing hypertexts when the input of thehardware keys is detected to be in the input field in accordance withthe analyzed hypertexts on the display, and to a communication sectionfor controlling the communication when the input of the hardware keys isdetected to be out of the input field of the image in accordance withthe analyzed hypertexts on the display.